'We all own Malaysia, it's not owned by certain individuals' - Charles Santiago

SHAH ALAM - Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been accused of inciting hateful and potentially 'explosive' statements when he said there are non-Malay individuals wanting to change the name and ownership of Malaysia.

Former Klang MP Charles Santiago said the statement by Dr Mahathir was dangerous and could break the peace and unity of the people.

"The non-Malays have made the same contributions towards the nation’s development, and they have been given citizenship.

"That’s why all Malaysians have the same rights in the country. This is our country too. It is not owned by any individuals," he said in a statement on Thursday.

Dr Mahathir was reported as saying that there were non-Malay people in Malaysia who wanted to change the name and ownership of Malaysia.

The Malay Proclamation chairman had claimed several times of such attempts by individuals from other countries to change Malaysia from a Malay land to a multiracial nation.

Charles said the actions of the former Langkawi MP were to see whether he was still relevant, and he was working towards raising support for his ‘new friends’ for the state polls.

He said that Malaysia is a multiracial nation consisting of various immigrants who bring different cultures and traditions.

It was unwise for a former prime minister to spark racial tension, he added.